Stuffing tube for protective anodes



Dec. 5, 1967 GELD ET AIL 3,356,606

STUFFING TUBE FOR PROTECTIVE ANODES Filed Sept. 29, 1964 f9 Z0 Z2 25 3% 29 26 647/100/6 FWEcT/o/V P0415? l/PPLY INVENTORS 16/00/ 5 651.0

M24762 L M/LLE Z BY United States Patent 3,356,606 STUFFING TUBE FOR PROTECTIVE ANQDES Isidore Geld, Flushing, and Walter L. Miller, Lynbrook,

N.Y., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Sept. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 400,282 6 Claims. (Cl. 204-196) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to the mounting of anodes on the exterior faces of metal hulls of ships, as .part of a circuit system for the cathodic protection of such hulls. Various mounting constructions for such anodes have been proposed, but ditfculty has been experienced in establishing an electric circuit connection from such anodes to the interior of the ship defined by the hull, without having salt water seepage into the hull along said connection, with resulting shorting of the protection circuit and loss of the electrical connection. The weakest point in prior anode systems has been in the design of the stuffing means for hull penetration of the electric connection.

An object of this invention is to provide a construction for mounting anodes on the exterior faces of metal hulls of ships and establishing electrical connections from said anodes through the hull into the interiors of the ships, which will be highly leak-resistant and corrosion-resistant, which will be substantially water impermeable, with which the connection to the cathodic protection circuit will be made entirely and conveniently within the hull, with which no leakage of sea water into and along the electrical connection can cause galvanic corrosion of the connection, or eventual loss of electrical connection in the protection circuit, which will have less water penetration or seepage into the hull than with prior anode mounting constructions, which eliminates danger of galvanic corrosion of cables at the connection to the anode, with which the electric connection of the protection circuit to the anode is made within the ship and outside of the stutling or sealing means where it is conveniently accessible for inspection and repairs, which will eifectively resist leakage of sea water through it when used on submarines where the sea water pressure may be very high, and which Will be relatively simple, compact, durable, trouble free, and inexpensive in construction.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be patricularly pointed out in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, the single figure is a transverse sectional elevation of one example of the invention as mounted on the hull of a ship, only a part of which hull is illustrated.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the ships metal hull 1 may be convexly arcuate at the area where an anode is to be applied. A flat plate or body 2 of rigid insulating material, such as fiber glass bonded interiorly with a polyester resin, is disposed against the exterior face or surface of the hull where the anode is to be mounted. To confine the plate to the hull in the selected position, a plurality of metal studs 3 are welded to the exterior face of the hull beneath the area to be covered by the plate 2, so as to project from the hull in parallel directions normal to the plane of a face of the plate 2. These studs have threaded free ends and are spaced apart from one another, but also spaced from but around the center of the plate 2. The plate 2 has apertures 4 from face to face aligned with these studs 3, and the studs pass through these apertures 4 and have nuts 5 threaded on their free ends to abut against the outer or exposed face of plate 2 and confine the plate to the hull. The apertures 4 are enlarged at the outer faces of the plate 2 so as to form recesses 6 in which the nuts are countersunk well below the outer face of plate 2.

The outer ends of the studs 3 also terminate within the recesses 6, and the recesses 6 around the nuts and stud ends are filled with an electrically insulating cement or putty 7 that completely covers and protects such free stud ends and nuts from contact with sea water. An anode body 8, usually of lead, is disposed in face to face contact against the exposed or outer face of the plate or body 2, and is confined in that relation to plate 2 by a plurality of spaced apart bolts 9 that pass through aligned apertures or openings 10 and 11 from face to face of both anode and plate 2, respectively. These apertures or openings 10 and 11 are enlarged in face areas to provide recesses 12 that receive the heads and nuts of the bolts, countersunk well into the anode and the plate 2. These recesses are filled with an electrically non-conductive cement or putty 13, such as a polyester plastic, which completely protects the heads and nuts from contact with sea water.

A layer of cement or putty 14, such as of polyester plastic is applied around the periphery of the anode in contact and union with the outer face of the plate 2, and from this layer 14 to the periphery of the plate 2, more electrically non-conducting cement or putty 15, such as an epoxy putty or cement, is applied to provide a smooth surface from the margin of the anode to the outer margin of the plate 2, which latter is of greater diameter than .the anode 8. Some of this same cement or putty 15 also extends from the outer margin of plate 2 at its outer face to the hull 1 and also fills the space between the flat plate 2 and the curved outer face of the hull wall, so that the mounting of the anode on the hull electrically insulates the anode from the hull and avoids any short circuit between them due to sea water in contact with both anode and hull.

The plate or body 2 has a central aperture 16 from face to face in the area where this plate abuts against the hull. The hull is provided with an aperture 17 in which is fitted one end of a metal hollow stud or tubular element 18 that is welded in this position to the hull, the aperture 17 being aligned with the aperture 16 of the plate 2, and the cylindrical passage 19 of the element 18 is open from end-to-end and at its end which is anchored to the hull is of the same size as, and aligned with, the aperture 16 of plate 2. The passage 19, intermediate of its ends, has a shoulder 20 facing the free end of element 18 and is larger in diameter from the shoulder 20 to the free end of the element. A tubular liner sleeve 21 of electrically insulating material fits the aperture 16 "of plate 2 and the passage 19 from the plate 2 to the shoulder 20.

An anode rod 22 of electrically conducting material, such as of tantalum or other suitable metal, has one end cast or otherwise embedded or anchored in the anode 8 and extends from the rear face of the anode through the liner sleeve 21 and along the larger diameter part of passage 19 beyond the free end of element 18 where it is threaded. The end of the rod 22 which is embedded in the anode has a bent end or laterally extending part 22a to more firmly secure the rod end within the anode. T his bent end 2211 and the portion of rod 22 within the anode is preferably abraded or roughened to be more firmly secured or fastened in the metal of the anode, but the surface of the portion of rod 22 outside of the anode is smooth except for the threads in its free end. Packing material 23 of electrically insulating material is disposed around the rod 22 in the larger diameter part of the passage 19, and abutting against the shoulder 20. This packing material may be V-packing rings of synthetic rubber, abutting end to end and against shoulder 20. A tubu= lar stuffing gland 24 is threaded into the free end of element 18 to abut against the outer end face of the packing material 23 and to compress it against shoulder and thereby deform such material against the wall of the passage 19 and against the rod 22.

Another liner sleeve 25 of electrically insulating material fits the rod 22, outwardly beyond the packing means, and also the passage of the gland 24, to the outer end of the gland. An electrically insulating washer 26 fits over rod 22 and abuts the outer end of liner sleeve 25 and the outer end face of the gland 24, and a nut 27 is threaded on rod 22 to confine the washer 26 against the outer end of gland 24. Another washer 28 of electrically insulating material is fitted over the end of rod 22 to abut against the outer face of nut 27. A cup-shaped collar or member 29 of metal is threaded over the exterior of the free end of element 18 and has an aperture 30 in its end through which the rod 22 loosely passes, with the inner face of this end abutting against the washer 28 to confine it against the nut 27. A liner sleeve 31 surrounds the rod 22, and passes through the aperture 30, abuts washer 28 and extends outwardly away from the member 29, but not entirely to the free end of the rod 22. A metal terminal connector 32 has an aperture through which the threaded free end of rod 22 extends, and nuts 33 threaded on the end of rod 22, on opposite sides of terminal 32, enables the terminal to be confined on rod 22 against the outer end of liner sleeve 31. The member 29 has weep holes 34 at about the space between washers 26 and 28 to discharge any small amount of sea water that might possibly seep along the rod 22 before it reaches the terminal 32.

The terminal 32 is connected by a Wire 35 to the positive terminal of a DC. power, supply 36 for the cathodic protection circuit, and the negative terminal of such power supply is connected by wire 37 to the hull wall to complete the cathodic protection electric circuit. The liner sleeves 21, 25, and 31 and Washers 26 and 28 are preferably made of any suitable, electrically insulating material or plastic, one example of which is sold under the name of Teflon.

It will be noted that the anode is firmly secured to the hull in electrically insulated relation thereto, does. not greatly project from the outer face of the hull wall, and the plastic around the margins of the anode 8 and plate 2 makes a smooth continuous surface offering minimum resistance to flow of sea water past them. There is little or no opportunity for sea water to get into contact with the anode rod 22 that connects the anode to the interior of the hull, and the packing means resists any movement of sea water that might possibly get into the passage 19. If any sea water should possibly pass the packing means it would escape through the weep holes 34 in the member 29 before reaching and corroding the connection from rod 22 to terminal 32. The terminal 32 is easily available for inspection and repairs without removing any of the sealing means or the anode.

With this construction there can be no galvanic corrosion of the anode conductor leadin into the ship, nor any eventual loss of electrical connections. The insulating sleeve 21 which fits snugly around the anode rod 22 and snugly within the plate 2 and element 18 prevents entry of sea water. Should any sea water pass seeve 21. the packing 23 should stop it, but if not so stopped, the liner 25 which snugly fits the rod 22 and the passage of the gland should stop it. Any traces of sea water that still passes will drip out through the weep holes 34 in the retaining collar or member 29. The member 29, insulating washers 26 and 28 and nut 27 are intended to prevent the gland 24 from loosening. The connection from the anode rod 22 to the copper cable terminal 32 is made outside of the gland Where readily accessible and where water cannot collect;

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the principle of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An anode mounting for a ships hull having an exterior face, an interior face and an opening therethrough, said anode mounting comprising a plate of rigid insulating material having an aperture therethrough,

means to secure said plate to such exterior face of such hull,

an anode for cathodic protection secured to the face of said plate distal such hull,

a stud having a passage therethrough aligned with said aperture of said plate,

means to secure said stud rigidly endwise to such interior face of such hull,

a first sleeve of insulating material extending through said aperture and extending snugly through said passage,

a rod of electrically conducting material anchored at one end in said anode, extending snugly through and then beyond said first sleeve, the portion of said rod distal said anchored end being threaded,

gasket sealing means of electrically insulating means snugly surrounding said rod in said passage,

a second sleeve of insulating material surrounding said rod in said stud outwardly from said gasket sealing means,

a gland nut adjustable in the open free end of said stud into variable pressing contact with said gasket sealing means and surrounding said second sleeve,

a first washer of insulating material disposed on said rod and abutting against the outer end of said gland nut,

a nut threaded on said rod and abutting said first washer,

a second washer of insulating material disposed on said rod and abutting said nut,

a retaining collar receiving and threaded over the end of said stud distal said anode, said collar having an aperture through which the end of said rod extends, and

a third sleeve of insulating material snugly surrounding said outer end portion of said rod, extending through and filling said aperture in said collar, abutting said second washer, and terminating short of the end of said rod to leave a threaded exposed end of said rod to which a cathodic current circuit connection can be secured.

2. The mounting of claim 1 wherein said plate is flat and such hull convex, andinsulating cement fills the space between said plate and such hull,

3. The mounting of claim 1 wherein said retaining collar has a drainage passage in a portion thereof beyond the end of said stud.

4. The mounting of claim 1 wherein the portion of said rod Within said anode is surface abraded and cast within said anode.

5. The mounting of claim 1 wherein the portion of said rod within said anode includes a transverse portion embedded in said anode.

6. The mounting of claim 1 wherein said stud passage includes a shoulder against which the said gasket sealing means is compressed, and

said rod is insulated from the walTs of said stud passage outwardly from said gasket sealing means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 5/1928 Great Britain.

ROBERT K. MIHALEK, Primary Examiner.

T. TUNG, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ANODE MOUNTING FOR A SHIP''S HULL HAVING AN EXTERIOR FACE, AN INTERIOR FACE AND AN OPENING THERETHROUGH, SAID ANODE MOUNTING COMPRISING A PLATE OF RIGID INSULATING MATERIAL HAVING AN APERTURE THERETHROUGH, MEANS TO SECURE SAID PLATE TO SUCH EXTERIOR FACE OF SUCH HULL, AN ANODE FOR CATHODIC PROTECTION SECURED TO THE FACE OF SAID PLATE DISTAL SUCH HULL, A STUD HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH ALIGNED WITH SAID APERTURE OF SAID PLATE, MEANS TO SECURE SAID STUD RIGIDLY ENDWISE TO SUCH INTERIOR FACE OF SUCH HULL, A FIRST SLEEVE OF INSULATING MATERIAL EXTENDING THROUGH SAID APERTURE AND EXTENDING SNUGLY THROUGH SAID PASSAGE, A ROD OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING MATERIAL ANCHORED AT ONE END IN SAID ANODE, EXTENDING SNUGLY THROUGH AND THEN BEYOND SAID FIRST SLEEVE, THE PORTION OF SAID ROD DISTAL SAID ANCHORED END BEING THREADED, GASKET SEALING MEANS OF ELECTRICALLY INSULATING MEANS SNUGLY SURROUNDING SAID ROD IN SAID PASSAGE, A SECOND SLEEVE OF INSULATING MATERIAL SURROUNDING SAID ROD IN SAID STUD OUTWARDLY FORM SAID GASKET SEALING MEANS, A GLAND NUT ADJUSTABLE IN THE OPEN FREE END OF SAID STUD INTO VARIABLE PRESSING CONTACT WITH SAID GASKET SEALING MEANS AND SURROUNDING SAID SECOND SLEEVE, A FIRST WASHER OF INSULATING MATERIAL DISPOSED ON SAID ROD AND ABUTTING AGAINST THE OUTER END OF SAID GLAND NUT, A NUT THREADED ON SAID ROD AND ABUTTING SAID FRIST WASHER, A SECOND WASHER OF INSULATING MATERIAL DISPOSED ON SAID ROD AND ABUTTING SAID NUT, A RETAINING COLLAR RECEIVING AND THREADED OVER THE END OF SAID STUD DISTAL SAID ANODE, SAID COLLAR HAVING AN APERTURE THROUGH WHICH THE END OF SAID ROD EXTENDS, AND A THIRD SLEEVE OF INSULATING MATERIAL SNUGLY SURROUNDING SAID OUTER END PORTION OF SAID ROD, EXTENDING THROUGH AND FILLING SAID APERTURE IN SAID COLLAR, ABUTTING SAID SECOND WASHER, AND TERMINATING SHORT OF THE END OF SAID ROD TO LEAVE A THREADED EXPOSED END OF SAID ROD TO WHICH A CATHODIC CURRENT CIRCUIT CONNECTION CAN BE SECURED. 